ADLTQ: Christmas Shopping
by Mika-chan
Summary: Trowa and Quatre go Christmas shopping.


A Day in the Lives of Trowa and Quatre: Christmas Shopping

By Mika

'Damn it!'

Trowa swung his head left and right scanning over the heads of the many people around him.As he did so, strangers often bumped into his shoulder as they walked by, not even taking the time to mutter an apology.It didn't bother him one bit though.He had bumped, pushed, and ducked under enough people today to even the score. 

He finally managed to squeeze past a mother and stroller and was at a fairly uncrowded area in front of the Lego (tm) aisle.He ran a hand through his hair, looking up and down the aisles and seeing nothing but a ridiculous amount of adults and children running amuck.All right, the adults weren't running amuck, but they certainly weren't just shopping, as his currently absent lover had called it.He'd never gone Christmas shopping before, yet he had heard the stories over the years.Only one of these tales seemed to come to mind more strongly than the others, one that described exactly what Trowa was seeing right now. 

_It's like a battle only _everyone_ is the enemy.You have your own list of objectives, so do they.You have to be prepared, so you'll need to have completed your reconnaissance work at _least_ two weeks before the attack.You can't go in blind.If you do, you'll waste precious time, money and sanity.I am not kidding, Trowa.They're like mobile dolls, all controlled by their children.They'll hit you from all sides, move faster than you can imagine and dive for things with a ruthlessness you wouldn't believe. _

_It's best to go with a partner.One you can trust. _Never_ go alone, Trowa and _never_ go the day before Christmas.You'll be dead before you even step onto the battlefield. _

Trowa was quite skeptical, but who wouldn't be?Yet it looked like Heero was right again.He never should have brushed off the Asian's advice.Heero _was_ right about that whole follow your emotions thing and that worked out pretty well for him. 

Oh that's right.He was looking for Quatre. 

Trowa took a step forward before quickly back peddling out of the way as a woman suddenly dove in front of him and onto the floor.He rammed his back into a shelf full of stuffed teddy bears, staring with wide eyes as the lady first hugged the last HeavyArms model set securely to her chest before holding it over her head triumphantly as she ran back to her husband. 

Trowa made a very important decision at that moment. 

He would never doubt Heero again. 

Taking a cautious look around him, he took a hesitant step forward again, rubbing his back where it connected with metal as he did.Confident that there was no one around him ready to attack, he continued looking for Quatre.Where could he be?He had only distracted himself with that build your own colony Lego (tm) set for a second and the next thing he knew, the blonde was gone. 

He knew something like this was going to happen.The moment his eyes caught a glimpse of the current state of the toy store, he wanted to run.His lover was not as dissuaded however, gripping his arm with enough force that wouldn't hurt him but wouldn't let him go either.He resigned to his fate, knowing Quatre had over forty nephews and nieces to shop for...and only three days to do it.In addition to that the head of Winner Incorporated had to also purchase gifts for his twenty-nine sisters, the forty Maganacs, his many business associates, and finally his friends (Oh, he was on that growing list as well).Trowa on the other hand had only to buy presents for Catherine, Quatre, and the other ex-gundam pilots, which cumulated to a total of five gifts.Quatre had over a hundred.It was a good thing the Arabian was rich. 

Something tugged at the bottom of his jeans, interrupting his search and causing him to look down. 

A small girl with brown curls and a thumb stuck in her mouth looked up at him with almond-shaped green eyes.Her hand was still latched onto a clump of denim fabric. 

At first Trowa looked at the girl, then around him, and then back down at the girl.He hadn't seen anyone within distance that looked as if they were with her and the slightest of frowns crossed over his face before he brushed it away and directed a small smile to the girl.Somehow he managed to kneel down to her level, despite all the chaos around him and said, "Hi.Are you lost?" 

The girl continued to watch him, sucking her thumb.When he realized she wasn't going to answer perhaps because she didn't understand his question, Trowa attempted a different approach."Do you know where your mother is?" 

She blinked once before slowly shaking her head no. 

"How about your Da--" 

She shook her head before he could finish. 

The frown returned and he was silent for a moment in thought."Okay.Why don't we go to the lost and found?They should have one here somewhere.Then we can find your parents." 

He cocked his head to the side when she held her free arm out to him."You want me to carry you?" 

A nod. 

Again he felt the edges of his lips turn up and he easily picked her up, starting for customer service.As they maneuvered/dodged through the store, at one point or another the child latched onto his bangs, while her other hand was still preoccupied with her sucking.She would tug on it occasionally and each time she did, Trowa would smile down at her before looking ahead again. 

After reaching the service desk and relating to the lady (Clare) behind the counter about the child's predicament, he was told they'd page her parents and he could leave her here while they did.Trowa nodded, thanking her before moving to hand the girl over.He soon found that a most difficult thing to do as the girl clung to him even tighter each time Clare attempted to take her from him.Finally Trowa just shook his head with a bit of humor, looking down at the one he held and asked, "Do you want me to stay until your family comes?" 

There was a quick nod and a tug in reply. 

Trowa nodded, looking up to Clare who was smiling and pointing to a row of seats behind her.Thanking her again, he made his way over to the seemingly-uncomfortable-from-what-he-could-already-tell chairs.Sitting down confirmed his suspicions but he kept his face neutral as not to enlighten the bundle he held of his discomfort.For a while they sat in silence, minus the light sucking sound coming from her mouth, both pairs of green eyes watching each other curiously.Finally... 

"You really shouldn't suck your thumb like that.Your teeth will come out crooked." 

She tilted her head, as if considering his words with great thought, yet in the end just tugged his hair again, giggling around her thumb. 

He glanced up at his hair before looking at her again."Hmm, do you like my hair?" 

She nodded again and Trowa wondered if she even knew how to talk.She looked about four...weren't four year olds supposed to know how to speak?He wasn't too sure.She was really cute though.He could say that much.He always liked kids almost as much as he loved to make them laugh; he didn't hear much laughter, as he grew up, especially not from children.It helped him as much as it did them to hear them laugh. 

An idea suddenly came to mind and he ducked his head a little to speak to the girl."Would you like to see a trick while we wait?" 

Eyes grew wide and she nodded eagerly. 

"All right.Now you sit here," he said and placed her in the chair beside him, "and let me get what I need first."He walked a few paces away picking up stray toys here and there before returning to her.She watched him, legs swaying back and forth and when he returned, Trowa knelt down in front of her and started juggling four toy cars.Trowa smiled when he saw her finally pull her thumb out of her mouth so she could clap along, her eyes filled with excitement. 

"Wow!Look Mama!" 

"Hey!That's neat!" 

"Can I go see, Papa?Can I?" 

"Cool!" 

It wasn't long before a small crowd grew around the circus performer, all their small faces set in awe.Trowa smiled as he effortlessly continued to crisscross the cars in the air.Suddenly another toy car sailed towards him and he caught it with ease, juggling it along with the others. 

"OOOoooooo" went the crowd. 

He went on like this for a while before throwing all five objects much higher into the air, spinning four or five times and catching them one by one as gravity pulled them back down to earth.A thunder of applause ensued and he bowed deeply, just as he would in the circus.Standing upright, he gave a wink to his original audience when-- 

"Caroline!" 

"Mama!" 

So she could talk, Trowa thought to himself with a smile as mother and daughter were reunited. 

"Don't you ever wander off like that again, Caroline.I was so worried." 

"No worry, Mama.He found me." 

A small digit pointed to him and he nodded to Caroline's mother. 

She gave a slight bow."Thank you.I'm sorry she troubled you." 

"It was no trouble.We had fun, right Caroline?" 

"Un!" 

After many more thank yous, the pair finally left, leaving Trowa with a fairly large group of kids.Somehow their parents seemed to think he worked here and left their children in his care while they shopped... 

He was in the middle of showing them how to juggle scarves when 

"Trowa!There you are!" 

A rather disheveled Quatre made his way through the small group of children as Trowa stood up.Trowa managed a soft hi, before the outburst came. 

"Where in the world have you been?I've been walking around here for ages looking for you and I haven't bought a single thing yet!It's hard enough as it is to be shopping with so many people in here and having to look for you too.I'll never be able to finish n--" 

Trowa kissed him soundly, interrupting his small tirade.He pulled away after a moment, tongue flicking out one last time to trace the bottom of his lover's lip.Quatre blinked adorably as Trowa pulled back, hands clasping around his back.And as expected 

"OOOoooo" went the crowd. 

That seemed to knock the Arabian out of his temporary stupor and he took a look around."Trowa...who are all these kids?" 

"Mine." 

A blonde head whipped around until blue eyes met his."What?" 

Trowa shrugged, trying to hold back his laughter from the you-better-have-a-good-explanation expression the other had on his face."I'm just watching them, Quatre, while their parents are shopping." 

"Oh."Quatre frowned a little and Trowa took that opportunity to lean in again until their noses almost touched. 

"You're cute when you're angry you know." 

"T-Trowa..." 

He tilted his head to the side."Hm?" 

"The kids..." came the soft hiss. 

"What about the--"  
  
"Trowa and Quatre sittin' in a tree.K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" 

"Oh." 

"First comes LOVE, then comes marriage--" 

"Yes, oh." 

"--then comes a baby in a baby carriage!" 

Quatre arched his eyebrow at the last line, before his expression softened."Sounds nice, doesn't it?" 

Trowa inclined his head slightly in response, brushing his fingers across the other's cheek, which undoubtedly elicited another OOOoooo from their audience. 

Quatre chuckled as Trowa turned his attention back to the youngsters. 

"Now that's quite enough.I thought we were here to learn how to juggle...?" 

"HAI, Trowa-san~!" 

Throwing an apologetic look to his better half, which Quatre waved off with a smile of his own, Trowa knelt down and continued his lesson.Quatre in the meantime pulled over a large beanbag and took a seat, head resting in his cupped hands as he watched his lover do what he did best. 

Make children happy. 

* * * * *

Mika-chan

December 17, 2000


End file.
